Dear Rabbi
by Suzotchka
Summary: When the war breaks out with Earth, a friend of Susan writes to her uncle Yossel, telling him about the person she knew as Susan as they both pray that death does not befall the Freedom Fighters.


Disclaimer: Nothing is mine but the plot, Rebeccah Nicolas and the extras.  
March 14, 2259  
  
Dear Rabbi,   
  
This is Rebeccah Nicolas. You may remember me as Susan's friend when we were both children. With the rest of the universe I have heard of Babylon 5 breaking away and that Susan's signature is on the papers with Sheridan's. I know that this is right. That Clark is a murderer and a dictator breaking the law. I am proud of her as I am sure you are. So as I sit and watch the news. The " Rouge" fleet have won the battle at Babylon 5 I think of Susan and how I knew her. I know you are like an uncle to her and I hope this helps you. I too am torn with my pride and sense of Truth and the fact that she may not survive this. But I have always known that Susan answers to right and wrong and not the " book". I remember when we first met, even then with her just 11 and me 14 I knew that she was one of the wisest people I have ever met and ever will.   
  
It had been over a year since the death of Sophia Ivanova. Since that time no member of the Ivanova family had been seen. Mr. Ivanova, Susan's father, as you know was a rich man, his company in the top six financial on Earth, making him one of the richest men. They lived in a huge mansion in the outskirts of Saint Petersburg. Before I became friends with Susan I knew her only from temple as all the Jews in Saint Petersburg worship in your temple. They, Mr. and Mrs. Ivanova would always be their with children Ganya and Susan. They always wore beautiful clothing. I was always jealous of Susan, I thought she had the perfect life and the more I got to know her the more I learned how wrong I was. When we were young the family would always be their. Even Mr. Ivanova who worked long hours every day but observed Sabbath religiously. The family owned many limousines, but always came to Temple in car with Mr. Ivanova driving himself. They were a happy family, and it was not till years later that I learned what happened in their large mansion with near 50 servants, barns, servant quarters , garages guesthouses and near 500 acres of land in the back with a great deal in the front as well, the whole thing fenced in with black iron fence with large gates. After Susan's mother died, we didn't see any of them for a long time. They always had in the past stayed till the end with you at the temple. If I ever stayed after services I would see you finishing up with Susan running up and down the isles with her mothers laughter following her. You continued to come to Temple, and soon after Ganya who now avoided home like the plague started to come to Temple as well. But soon he went away to academy.   
  
After a year passed I remember we didn't see you either, someone else lead the sermon. It was strange. The next week you were back with Susan holding your hand. You brought her over to us and I heard you ask mother to watch her while you gave the sermon. I heard you say that for the last year since her mothers death she had locked herself up in her rooms and had not come out barely eating drinking or sleeping. It was then that I really looked at her. I knew she was around 11. She was very short and very under weight, she had always been very thin but now her bones stuck out dangerously close to piercing skin. She wore a beautiful blue dress the color of her eyes which went to her knees with matching white shoes with heels and silver jewelry. I looked at her face. She was a beautiful child and would be a beautiful woman. I saw that she was afraid. I didn't blame her. She looked very sad and when I looked into her eyes I saw a wisdom that no child her age should have that no old adult should have, both natural and of experience. Her eyes had a haunted look to them and at that moment I knew I wasn't jealous of her anymore. Father pulled me aside and told me that Rabbi had asked that I befriend Susan and that I come with her to her house after services. He would see to it that I was brought home safely. I surprised myself by agreeing.   
  
I took a seat next to her. In between activities I spoke to her and she responded in mono syllables. While I made idle chatter I compared myself to her. I was tall and over weight, average in school with rough feature. After the sermon the Rabbi came over and loudly informed Susan that I had been invited over. She didn't object and they took it as a good sign. We ate lunch in one of their many dining rooms. Andrei was not their. Susan sat at the head of the table. After lunch she lead me to a sunny room filled with books and dolls and other items. She had many sitting rooms, dining rooms, and other rooms all over the house not counting her sleeping rooms with the attached apartment. We were both quiet but it was obvious that both of us were enjoying each others friendship. Before I left Susan jumped up and wrapping her arms around me gave me a tight hug. It was then that we became friends.   
  
I didn't see much of her for the next few days but come Wednesday their was a knock at our door and there stood Susan. She wore a twirly short black skirt and white short sleeved blouse. She had shiny small heeled black shoes and small white silk socks with a black jeweled hair clip, a small black purse and designer watch on her wrist. She asked for me and Mother ushered her in. It was lunch time and despite her protests that she didn't eat lunch she was forced to the lunch table. It was obvious that she very much wanted to be with me so mother used it to make her eat. She told Susan that if she wanted to see me she would have to finish her lunch. She agreed hesitantly and mother filled her plate. After we finished Susan wanted to take me somewhere, but she refused to say where.   
  
Mother was hesitant to allow us to go but remembering the Rabbi's request that we befriend one another she agreed. Susan was ecstatic and began to pull me away. Her house was 5 miles away and apparently she had walked all the way to my house. Finally we were at her gate and her house stood majestically on the acres of land so different from my middle income home. Once we were there she lead me in through one of the many entrances and we were greeted by a maid who voice," ladyship," as I learned the servants called Susan and " Miss " to me.   
  
Susan turned to her and with a commanding voice and posture she asked in a very adult voice," is everything ready?" " Yes your ladyship." the maid whose name I was to learn was Esther. Susan grinned in excitement. She began to run up a set of stairs with servants dodging us as I raced to keep up. Finally running through halls we reached a door where an other maid stood holding two sports bags. Susan grabbed them and tossed one two me and dragged me into a large room. I stared. It was a large ice rink freshly resurfaced. Susan pulled me into the room to the side and I opened my bag to find a blue leotard with matching jazz pants, hairclip, brush, deodorant, towel and white skates. I looked to Susan who was dressing in her red leotard and leaving her jazz pants off. She tied her hair with a red clip and eagerly pulled me to the ice as she began explaining excitedly," I haven't skated in a long time and I was the one who did the most skating. When you told me you like to skate I had them refreeze the ice. " We skated all day and Ganya joined us as well. After that day she was over she invited me over nearly every day.   
  
Over a year passed. Susan had been home schooled and by the time her mother died when she was ten she had finished high school so at age twelve she went off to college. She would come back often. It was one Hanukah when we were sitting in one of her sitting rooms with glasses of punch that she told me her story and her mothers story.   
  
Sophia had been a telopath. She had hidden all her life. Soon after Susan's birth she had been discovered by the Psi Corp. She was given three choices, join the corps, go to prison or take sleepers. Of the three she chose the sleepers. Every month on the first, Susan would watch helplessly as a Psi Cop by the name of Alfred Bester injected her mother despite her protests. The sleepers killed her spirit long before they caused her to take her own life . That day, it was a week after Susan's birthday, Susan went to her mothers rose sitting room. She asked her mother to play dolls with her. Instead her mother sent her over to her cousins house with a " I'll come get you." She never came. In a little while Susan felt as if something had stabbed her in the heart and she fell in pain. Suddenly she knew. She raced home and came upon her brother, her father and uncle staring at the body of Sophia Ivanova whose hand held a knife which was deep in her dead heart. No one had known that her mother had committed suicide out of the family and you. As she told me she did not cry but I could tell that she felt deeply. She and her mother had been connected she had explained but she did not say how. Susan and I are so very different. She outgoing and I shy. When she finished her bachelors in just three years and came home before her fifteenth birthday I was thrilled. But she was not satisfied. Ganya had died at the Battle of the Line. Susan is very accomplished. She had been trained by her mother. She could manage the house, be a hostess, play the piano and flute, draw sew and more. She is beautiful, thin young intelligent. Everyone expected her to take over Andrei's business and marry.   
  
She surprised everyone but me when she joined up. She has a warrior heart. She needed to take up arms to protect her people. I have heard occasionally from her since than. For the last few months since Santiago's assassination I have sensed from her letters something was up. I know now that she and her comrades are now to defend the line between right and wrong. The line which Clark has crossed. I am proud of her. I wish I could contact her but that is impossible. I only wanted to let you know that Susan is the most loyal, loving friend I have ever had. I pray that God may protect her in what lies ahead of her.   
  
Sincerely, Rebeccah Nicholas. 


End file.
